For about twelve years now I have noticed a pattern with newly elected politicians. They sense blood or weakness in their opponent, then they campaign on a topic local people care about, buy into the vibe, make the win, then what? Pattern is always the l same. Let’s guess what it is, shall we?

We get Vaughn Gething. Makes a big noise. Funded campaign by some local company who benefit from the relationship. What does he do? Asks for a committee of friends connected to his own party to “look into it”. Hmm. A bit like when a South Wales policeman being caught being naughty, only to be investigated by an “independent panel” of guess who? Former members of South Wales Police!! Or getting a 12 panel of women to assess if Andrew Tate is guilty of misogyny. No matter. Vaughn had got his cash. He is in power. Screw you, public. Even if he gets fired or stands down - watch him bag a nice cosy job somewhere. Charity. Advisory board. Or two. Or three. Director in public services. Political consultancy. NGO. Quango. Odds on. But it won’t be as a local solicitor’s office or on a call centre that’s for sure. Grift, grift!

Or take a a local Labour councillor in Rhondda Cynon Taff, around ten years ago. Picked up that local people were fed up with dog turd on the pavements so guess what? That person campaigned that they would sort out the dog turd problem. Local baboons fell for it, and voted for them, failing to think about how it would be possible for a single councillor in a group of 12 to force the passing of votes that could force owners to attach a colostomy bag to the average dog’s arse, or reduce their intake of Winalot. Or in a skint council, not thinking about even if new fines were passed, to think how it would be unenforceable, unless you created a local army of “Dog Arse Watchers” around the vicinity to actively monitor the sh1thole of every canine in the area in real time. Naturally dogs continued to turd after the person’s election win. Nothing changed. Guess what? The person’s LinkedIn profile, within a month of winning, said “Open for Business / Networking Opportunities”. Never run a business in their life nor qualified in it. Too right. Grift, grift!!!

So here is one for you. Identify in your local seats if someone is vulnerable. Identify the likely winner who will be new to the job. Then watch the LinkedIn profile change from “Charitable” or “Local Campaigner” to “Open to network / business opportunities” soon after they win. I have seen this done over and over again, over many years. From campaigner, to wanting to “serve the public” to serving themselves. Grift, grift!!!

If you think this is an anti-Labour thing think again. It is across the board. And actually, if there is one genuine politician who cares in Wales, I would point to Buffy Williams in Treorchy who is an absolute star in the community. The work she has done for the locals is outstanding and seemingly asks for bugger all in return. A grift-free, non-politician politician. Now that is a standard all politicians should aspire to. A Grift-less one.

Keep eyeballs peeled.